Mobility

Performers often travel abroad to seek new employment opportunities. Some may do so because they are hired to perform in international productions or with a touring company. Some may be drawn by a better offer of employment opportunities. However, employment and social security are fundamentally a national matter and performers are often subject to multiple regimes that may profoundly affect their eligibility to social security, pension, unemployment and other benefits in their home country. The employment status of a same performer may fundamentally change from country to country as the ability for that performer to enjoy minimum protection under labour law.

Double taxation is an unwanted but common occurrence among travelling artists who are generally subject to withholding tax in the country of performance but often fail to benefit from adequate tax credits in their residence country. Where countries have signed bilateral agreements to avoid double taxation, these do not always work for artists in practice.

FIA advocates for international OECD standards to be amended and for artists to be treated like any other employed worker, taxed only in the country of residence when work abroad is limited in time, or self-employed persons, predominantly taxed in the country of residence.

FIA is also a member of On The Move, a European network seeking to raise awareness about mobility issues affecting professional artists and advocating for measures to address these problems. The Federation enhances international cooperation and solidarity among its membership to extend the benefits of union agreements to performers working abroad and encourages partnerships with other industrial sectors to secure acceptable terms and conditions for performers employed there, e.g. on cruise ships.